Forever Lost
by CompleteSublimation
Summary: Alternative ending to Eldest: What happens when Arya dies in the Battle of the Burning Plains? My first fic! rated T for violence. No pairings yet. Please read&review!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Eragon belongs to C.P.**

**1****st**** fanfic! Its an alternitive ending to Eldest. I havent had my copy of it for the last to years, don't kill me for the details.**

**It's just an experiment. I'm trying to figure out just how horrible it would be for Arya to die.**

**It starts when he's walking on the battlefield coming back from fighting Murtagh.**

The ground bestrewed with dead and dying soldiers blurred to a yellow haze before his tired eyes. He walked, picking his way around corpses in a daze, blindly following the direction Saphira indicated. He missed the weight of his sword, although his shoulders hurt from the weight of the armor. The silence between them destroyed all sense of time.

Something stirred in the distance. Eragon watched the approach of a servant in Orin's colors flanked by half a dozen soldiers. The man warily stood at a distance from the blood-splattered dragon as he delivered his message:

´´ The Lady Nasuada bids you be conducted to her tent immediately. Without awaiting a reply, he turned. Eragon and Saphira followed as he strode briskly towards the tents, the soldiers following with less enthusiasm. Clearly the man had not participated in the battle.

The servant stood aside smartly as they reached the tent, leaving Eragon to push back the tent flap and enter. Inside, Orin, Nasuada, and a number of surdan generals were gathered. Saphira pushed her head in after him.

´´Eragon! Orik greeted heartily from his seat by the entrance. With a jolt, he realised that after Hrothgar's death, Orik would be king of the dwarves.

_Arya isn't here_, commented Saphira. He scanned the assembly again. _Aye_. And she should have been there. After all, she was the elves' ambassador. Before he could wonder where she might be occupied, Nasuada addressed him:

´´The battle went better than expected, she informed him. And then, hesitating on how to ask:´´ how did you fare? . Every person in the room waited expectantly. They all wanted to know who the new rider was, he realized.

_Tell them_, Saphira advised. Reluctantly, Eragon told them, not the whole story, but a basic idea. He told them the new rider was stronger than him, but did not explain his power was above what is usually possible. When he revealed the rider's identity, several people gasped. He ignored them, and proceded to explain that his former friend had spared him, taken his sword, and left.

Silence spread. Orin was first to gather himself. ´´Very well. We can do nothing until tomorrow. And with that, the meeting was over. They filed out of the tent. He was nearly fainting with fatigue.

Nasuada had stepped out with them. ´´Eragon? Could you do something for me? He would have liked to refuse, but remembered she was his liege, and several guards positioned amid the tents were watching. Deciding his tiredness was no excuse, he lifted his head. She continued. ´´ Do you know where Arya is? ´´No. He answered promptly, suddenly aware he himself had forgotten to ask about her.

´´Could you try and contact her? None of us knows.

_I'll help you__._ He drew on Saphira's last reserve of energy and tried to reach out. It did not work. He suddenly realized he had not yet withdrawn the protection around his mind. He let the barrier fall and tried again.

This time he sensed a multitude of tired, battle-scarred minds around his, but he could not detect Arya's, which he usually easily found. After searching for a few more seconds, he gave up.

´´I cannot find her he explained. Nasuada's expression grew grim, but she returned to her tent without a reply.

_She could be too far away_, he tried to explain_. Maybe she made the same mistake as I. Maybe she doesn't want to be found._

All the same, when he fell to his bed, barely managing to take of his armor, his soamch was twisted with worry.

**Sorry, cliffhanger.**

**It occurred to me it could still end differently, i.e. Arya could have been taken by Murtagh. If you suggest a different plotline, I might not kill her.**

**Also looking for suggestion on how to bring Roran in.**

**Please tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Apparantly my closing quotation marks are not being displayed. Sorry for that, I'll use something different now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this.**

Eragon woke to the several excited voices argueing outside his tent. It was still dark. Stumling to his feet, he put on his sword belt. The sheath was empty. How?

Suddenly he remembered. Murtagh.

He tried not to think about it. Slinging on his quiver, he picked up his hunting knife and stepped outside. The stars could not be seen, but he could not have slept longer than two hours.

He found himself standing at the edge of a small group of soldiers and guards. They were wearily fending of the arguments of a few people opposite them. Saphira, who was lying curled around his tent, had opened an eye to follow the discussion.

_Whats going on?_ He asked her.

_Apparently, they are being denied entry to your tent._ To his surprise, he felt something like amusement, even joy, from her.

Catiously he asked : _Who is 'they'?_

_Roran__. _

Surprised, he stepped closer to the group.

Yes, that was Roran arguing with one of the men assigned to guard his tent. Most of the other sentries were watching. Behind him stood a dozen other villagers. He recognized Horst and Birgit among them.

Eragon stepped into the light and called his cousin's attention: 'Roran!'

Saphira, who had passed unnoticed, opened both eyes and moved her head to better watch.

The discussion immidiately ceased. Roran's eyes widened. Eragon nodded and stepped back into the tent, followed by a hesitant Roran.

Once inside, Eragon lit a lantern. The cousins faced each other, studying their faces. Roran looked older, haggard and desperate.

Without waiting to be asked, Roran quietly began recounting his tale of how Carvahall had been attacked, defended and evacuated. He told of their journey and hardship, and explained why he had come. When his quiet words had faded, Eragon wondered how to break the silence.

'I'll help you,' he decided. 'We'll free her. Tomorrow.'

They would prepare for travel tomorrow. That evening they'd be traveling westwards. They would have to rest and heal on the road.

As gratitude spresd in his cousin's face, Eragon began outlining a basic explenation of what had happened to him. Roran frequently asked for details, and Eragon did his best to explain what he could.

When silence resumed, Roren stood and smiled.

'Thank you,' he said quietly before he left.

Outside, it was still dark, perhaps three more hours till the dusty, smoky dawn.

Eragon smiled and fell to bed once more.

**Sorry it's shorter. The next chapter will be about Arya. **

**Please review & tell me what you think. **

**I'm open to suggestions.**


End file.
